Download Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia (CBPP)

Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia (CBPP)
What is CBPP and what
causes it?
Contagious
bovine
pleuropneumonia (plur-OH-new-MOAN-ya),
or CBPP, is an easily spread respiratory
disease of cattle. It is caused by
the bacteria Mycoplasma mycoides
mycoides (my-COplaz- MA my-COYdees), a similar but different organism
than Mycoplasma bovis, the bacterium
associated with mastitis and shipping
fever in cattle. Contagious bovine
pleuropneumonia is a serious disease
in Africa causing death rates of up
to 80%. Occasional outbreaks have
also occurred in the Middle East, Asia
and parts of Europe. The disease has
been eradicated from the Western
Hemisphere.
What animals get CBPP?
Contagious
bovine
pleuropneumonia primarily affects cattle.
Younger animals (less than 3 years
old) are more susceptible. Bison, yak
and water buffalo have also been
infected with CBPP.
fever and lethargy. Affected animals
will have severe respiratory signs
such as coughing, labored breathing,
outstretched neck and a wide stance
of the front legs (due to difficulty
breathing), as well as a loss in appetite
and body condition, and decreased
milk production. Animals with longterm (chronic) infections have less
obvious signs of pneumonia, but may
cough with exercise. Calves are more
likely to show signs of arthritis and
lameness than respiratory illness.
Some infected animals may appear
to recover but continue to “carry” the
bacteria with few or no signs of illness.
These carrier animals can serve as a
source of infection to other cattle.
Can I get CBPP?
No. CBPP does not affect humans.
Who should I contact if I
suspect CBPP?
How can my animal get CBPP?
Contact
your
veterinarian
immediately. Contagious bovine
pleuropneumonia is not found in the
United States. Suspicion of disease
requires immediate attention.
Animals are exposed to the CBPP
bacteria by aerosol from the cough
of infected cattle. Once inhaled, the
bacterial infects the lungs of the
animal. Another route of spread is
by direct contact with the saliva,
urine, or reproductive tissues or fluids,
from an infected animal. The bacteria
can spread reproductively during
pregnancy from the cow to the
unborn calf.
CBPP
How does CBPP affect my
animal?
This disease develops relatively
slow. After cattle are exposed to the
bacteria, signs of illness do not appear
until 1 to 3 months later and include
Last Updated: January 2011
How can I protect my animal
from CBPP?
CBPP is considered a foreign animal
disease and has not been found in
the United States since 1892. The best
approach to prevention is prompt
detection.
Monitor your animals frequently for
any signs of disease, especially severe
respiratory disease or lameness in
young stock. Newly introduced or
returning animals should be isolated
for several weeks before placing them
with the rest of the herd. Antibiotic
treatment is not effective for CBPP.
The CBPP bacteria do not survive
in the environment for long periods
of time and are inactivated by most
common disinfectants. Equipment
and animal rearing areas should be
thoroughly cleaned and disinfected
to prevent disease spread.
For More Information
CFSPH Technical Fact Sheets. Contagious
Bovine Pleuropneumonia at http://
www.cfsph.iastate.edu/DiseaseInfo/
is a contagious,
bacterial disease of cattle
that causes severe
respiratory disease.
Photo courtesy of FAO at www.fao.org
© 2011
CBPP_F2011